We, the movement of the " Have-Nots ", people and communities bearing the brunt of neoliberal policies leading to:
-Economic, civil and neo-colonial wars
-Natural or industrial catastrophies and climate change induced by reckless search for ever-increasing productivity and profits
-Epidemies, famines, looting of our natural resources by dominating nations, the destruction of our economy and food self-sufficiency.
We denounce the current global war against the poor, latent, hidden and desguised, but extremely more murderous than wars in the past decades.
We believe that social forums should constitute spaces that encourage the self-organisation and coordination of our movements, taking the form of agoras where practices of struggle, including successes and failures, are shared and exchanged, facilitate the popularisation of our analyses and mobilisations among all movements participating in the forum and allow the implementation of concrete actions aimed at empowering the " Have-Nots ".
We wish to contribute to the emergence of a global movement of the "Have-Nots " with the objective to resist the unscrupulous and merciless war directed against populations and communities and thus encourage the emergence of a common sense of identity, especially as we are confronted with similar challenges and difficulties.
For those who are responsible for the misery and death of entire populations by instigating conflict and warfare, exploiting us and enriching themselves to our detriment, we are at best the object of their compassion, but most often a potential threat and even an obstacle to their voracious apetite. They commodify the living, encourage genetic manipulation and disregard the foundations of life itself simply to increase their wealth through our enslavement, the privatisation of the commons, cuts in social programs to finance debt repayment, the creation of continental free-market spaces such as the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) with the aim to subject us to the market, increased consumption, individualism and other destructive initiatives.
We are fighting on a daily basis for our right to nutrition, housing, land, employment and remuneration allowing a decent life, safe drinking water, clean air, access to renewable energies, the right to preserve our culture, access to health care and education, and generally for the equality of all those who face discrimination, including women, native people, black communities, the " Untouchables ", children, cultural and religious minorities, etc., and the right to live with integrity in a world of justice and peace.
These struggles require continuous and tireless commitment and accordingly we are organising ourselves worldwide, under the framework of social forums, jointly with the alterglobalisation movement and other large-scale civil society organisations. Nevertheless, we must not maintain any illusions : " Another World " will be impossible without the uprising and the participation of the " Have-Nots ", representing half of the planet's population living in poverty, precarity and oppression, carrying out concrete struggles day-to-day on all five continents.
Based on this perspective the following actions have been carried out :
- The occupation of buildings and various urban areas by the homeless at the WSF in Porto Alegre in 2002 and 2003 and the march of the " Untouchables " at the WSF in Mumbay in 2004
- Continental social forums, such as the European Social Forums in Paris St-Denis in 2003
- Major demonstrations in Seattle, Genova, Larzac, Seoul and Cancun against the neoliberal oppression
This year, in 2005, we are launching the first Forum of the " Have-Nots " at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre with the aim to:
-Create a permanent space of meetings and exchanges between various "Have-Nots " movements
-Elaborate and share analyses, strategies, demands and joint actions facilitating to the movents・convergeance
-Work towards the implementation of a global march of the " Have-Nots " -Recognise the voice and the place of the " Have-Nots " and their movement within the social forums, which have been at the center of the process in Mumbay, but generally tend to be marginalised. This initiative requires that the " Have-Nots " be actively involved in decision-making structures, participate in plenaries and gain access to travel funds.
The creation of " Another World " is necessary and urgent!
However, it will only be possible if it is carried out Not in the name of, but together with the " Have-Nots "!
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The " Have-Nots・" Forum : Programme
Porto Alegre, January 25-26, 2005
Venue : Auditorium of Paula Soares School
Modalities : We propose to invite the " Have-Nots " movements in large numbers, including related national and international networks from different continents. Participation is free but conditioned by involvement in the preparation and organisations of the " Have-Nots" Forum.
Form of debates : in circle, cordless and mobile microphone, movements and collectives enjoying priority over individuals. We need assistance with translation and related material (check with Babels). Decisions are taken based on consensus.
Tuesday, January 25 :
Morning : 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM : Movements' General Assembly (GA)
9:00 AM Greetings and Introduction
9:30 AM : GA Presentation and update on the struggle of various " Have-Nots " movements
11:00 AM Break and Documentary projection on the " Have-Nots" struggles 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM : GA Presentation and update on the struggle of various " Have-Nots " movements
Afternoon : 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM : 3 general discussion groups
2:00 PM Form : Debate and propositions for texts and communique to be distributed in workshops on the following themes :
1-Global war against the poor
2-New forms of resistence and alternatives proposed in the current context
3-The role and place of " Have-Nots " in social forums and within the alterglobalisation movement
4:30 PM : Break
5:00 PM : Report back from group discussions
Evening : 8 :00 PM to 12 :00 AM Supper and artistic festival based on cross-cutting meetings : struggles and popular cultures, film projections, musical performances
Wednesday, January 26 :
Morning 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM : Organisation and perspectives
9:00 AM to 11 :00 AM : Discussion groups
1-Joint initiatives of the " Have-Nots " : International march of the " Have-Nots ", mutual solidarity, concrete actions during the WSF
2-The Movement's Charter, demands
3-Functionning of the international " Have-Nots " network, (internal communication, partnerships)
-11:00 AM Break
-11:30 AM Restitution and decisions
Afternoon : On the road toward concrete actions : 2 :00 PM to 5 :00PM 2:00 PM : Practical workshops : banners, flags, tracts, flyers, other mobilisation tools within the outside the WSF・To be organised on the ground.
Saturday, January 29 :
9 :00 PM until early morning : The night of the " Have-Nots " (Memories of the Forums and the struggles of the " Have-Nots ")
Documentaries, performances and concerts (Venue : Barco Flutuante/ The Floating Boat)
